Typically, a fuel door protection system prevents a fuel door from being damaged if a sliding door is opened toward the fuel door while fuel is being supplied. If a sliding door manipulation signal is input, the system determines whether the fuel door is open. If the fuel door is determined to be open, the fuel door protection system ignores the sliding door manipulation signal. Also, the conventional fuel door protection system determines whether an obstacle, interrupting the manipulation of the sliding door, exists. If an obstacle is determined to exist, the system engages a motor clutch of the sliding door, stopping operation of the sliding door. The sliding door can be operated only after a sliding door manipulation signal is input again, unless the motor clutch is disengaged.
In such a conventional fuel door protection system, the steps that control based on the fuel door have higher priority than the steps that control based on an obstacle. Also, if the fuel door is opened when the motor clutch is engaged, even if the sliding door manipulation signal is input again, it is impossible to manipulate the sliding door.